Objective:To study on the purification and chemical composition of polysaccharides from Chrysanthemum indicum. Method:Polysaccharides were extracted from C. indicum with hot water

followed by precipitating with ethanol

decolorizing with LSA-21 and removing of free protein by the method of Sevag

and finally separated into three fractions CIP-1'、CIP-2'and CIP-3'by DEAE-52 cellulose anion exchange and Sephadex G75 gel column chromatograph. Result:The relative molecular weight (Mw) of CIP-1'was estimated to be about 8

242 Da by using high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC)

while that of CIP-2'was 8

383 Da and of CIP-3'was 1.920 1×103 Da. According to GC analysis

CIP-1'was composed of six kinds of monosaccharides

namely rhamnose

arabinose

xylose

mannose

glucose and galactose in the molar ratio of 5.44:16.40:20.35:3.53:15.43:21.46

following that CIP-2'was composed of the same kinds of monosaccharides in the molar ration of 8.47:13.17:2.43:2.75:14.51:15.76. However

CIP-3'was composed of rhamnose

arabinose

mannose

glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 17.46:15.88:18.90:63.76:36.44. The FT- IR spectrum of the three also indicated typical characteristics of polysaccharides. Conclusion:This study provided experimental basis for the development of polysaccharide resources from C. indicum.